Dad’s Letters Home
You Needn’t Write Any More Letters
January 28, 1946. Dad writes his final letter home. Here it is transcribed in its entirety. “WPBC-SAIPAN Mon. 28 Jan. 1946 Dear Mom, Dad Stanely and Lubinski Family, How are you? I am fine and hope you’re doing well. Get that bottle if fresh milk ready and [a] hot bath. I leave … Continue reading
The Beach Was Like a Graveyard
January 14 and 16, 1946. Dad writes a few letters home from Saipan where he reports that he is “fine but a little worried about the increasing grey hairs.” He asks that his family send him “…anything to stop me from losing my pigment further.” He goes on to lament, “I sure hate to be … Continue reading
The Story on My Trip to Saipan
January 12, 1946. Dad writes from Saipan, having finally been shipped off of Guam. He is not yet cleared for discharge, but it is clear that he has pretty much “checked out” and is simply putting in his time until the next points drop catches up with him and he heads home. His letter from … Continue reading
Pretty Well Fed Up
January 6 and 8, 1946. Dad writes two letters home while stationed on Guam and awaiting his orders to go home. At the moment his is “disgusted with the whole Army and our Congressional War Dept. setup in Washington D.C.” Of note is that discharge qualification points have been dropped to 48, just one shy … Continue reading
That’s Quite a Question.
December 29, 1945 and January 3, 1946. Dad writes two letters home from Guam on the cusp of the New Year. In his letter of the 29th, he writes that he has enclosed some photos with this letter. I’m sorry to report that the photos did not seem to survive as part of the archive … Continue reading
Silent Night and Other Christmas Carols
December 16 through the 25, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from Guam, over the course of several days. The first letter, the shorter of the two, was started on the 16th and includes additional notes from the 18th, while the second letter was written on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. He notes on the 16th, … Continue reading
This Isn’t the Army that Won the War
December 10 and 14, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from Guam where he is trying to make the best of the grind and tedium of post-war life in the Pacific. He admits in his first paragraph on the tenth, “I am fine and would feel better if I were at home.” He notes, “…not … Continue reading
This Frying Pan of an Island
November 27 and December 2, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from Guam with his “hope this letter will bring…some of the warmth from this frying pan of an island.” The war has been finished for some time, the army is winding things down at Northwest Field and Christmas is on its way. With all … Continue reading
I’ll Take an LST Headed for the States
November 20 and 23, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from Guam with “the news…as well as the rumors.” Apparently one of the rumors (from the Executive Officer of the group) is that the “35 pointers would be screened and would remain with this outfit for about 5 to 6 months and then the outfit … Continue reading
I Still Have 47 Points
November 13 and 17, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from Guam where he is marking his “7th month overseas.” They continue to wind things down as more and more men are being shipped back to the states. Dad details some of the preparations. “This coming Friday and Saturday we get flu shots mostly for the … Continue reading